Finger-exercising device



March 31, 1931. E: ROTH 1,798,385

FINGER EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Dec. l7 1927 Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES EUGENE LOUIS ROTH, OF ANTWEIRP, BELGIUM FINGER-EXERCISING DEVICE Application filed December 17, 1927, Serial No. 240,860, and in Belgium November 19, 1927.

The present invention relates to an improved finger-exercising device in order to develop or to correct the natural individual strength of each separate finger.

For this aim, the device of the invention is provided with a key-board comprising keys to be depressed in combination with separate resistances opposed to the depression of each key under the pressure of the finger, each resistance being liable to be adjusted in accordance with the natural individual strength of the finger acting upon the key.

The device according to the present invention comprises in combination with said elements, means by which the variations of pres sure exerted by each finger are controlled instantaneously and automatically indicated. The greater sensitivity of the apparatus will allow of a more objective control of pressure exerted by each finger, so that the time spent in training the hands can be considerably shortened.

The finger-exercising device comprises a casing provided with key bed and key board and movable and marked indicators will be mounted inside the casing so that they can be observed from the outside, for instance through a narrow slit in the wall of the easing. The depression of the keys is transmitted to the indicators by means of links and amplifying levers. The indicators will bear graduated scales or coloured markings, so that particular control is possible over the action of each finger in relation to the other.

The device is provided with suitable means allowing adjustment of the pressure required to depress the keys, so that the apparatus can be appropriated to pupils of different age or strength.

An embodiment of the invention will be described hereafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing the single figure of which shows a vertical cross section of the apparatus.

The casing 2 comprises a key bed with key board 1 of known construction and the frontwall of said casing has a longitudinal opening 3. The board will have preferably ten keys. The opening 3 will be of such a dimension as to allow easy observation of the col- Said markings will appear in succession in j the opening 3 when the keys are depressed. It is obvious that the motion of the indicators may be different of that shown in the drawings. For instance, instead of being directed downwards it may be directed upwards. It may also be horizontal instead of being vertical. Each indicator is connected to its corresponding key by means of a link and amplifying lever 6.

The keys and indicators are brought back in their normal inoperative position by the usual means. Under each key can be placed a return spring 7 the tension of which can be adjusted and as the resistance of said spring is made proportional to the depression of the key under the pressure of the finger, the indicator in front of opening 3 will immediately give the value of the pressure exerted by the finger upon the key.

Adjusting means are provided to vary the resistance of the keys. For instance the spring 7 will rest upon the shoulder 8 of a regulating screw 9, so that the initial tension of-the spring can be varied in accordance with the natural strength of each finger pressing on the key.

The device as described allows rapid training of the pupils in View of compensating the natural difference of strength in the fingers. Indeed when all the fingers of the two hands will equally act upon the keys, the same marks of all the indicators will appear in the opening 3. If one of the fingers will act with more or less pressure than that which the pupil will realize, the correspondent indicators will give a different mark or colouring in the opening.

The device as described herebefore allows the training of fingers in a very rapid way, with perfect control, so that after a short time the pupil can act with desired strength porting said spring, provided at the inner.

by each finger, avoiding the inconvenience in presently lmown methods, to compensate the movements of the fingers by false movements of the hand or the wrist.

Furthermore, the device presents the advantage of allowing the exercising by means of perfectly adjustable reacting forces and in its whole it is of most simple and useful construction.

I claim:

1. A finger-exercising device to obtain and 1 to preserve the normal relation between the individual natural strength of different fin-' gers, comprising in combination: a casing, a key-board with thekeys to be depressed extended backwardly into the casing, movable coloured indicators sliding inside the oasing behind the front wall of the same, each indicator bearing similarly disposed coloured markings, a longitudinal opening extending over the whole length of said front wall, a series of transmitting levers consisting of one for each key connecting said indicators with the keys and causing an indicator to move downwardly in front of said opening when the corresponding key is'depressed, springs arranged to oppose resistance to the depression of said keys each spring acting on a different key, a regulating screw for each spring, said screws being screwed in the casing, a shoulder for supings, a longitudinal opening extending over the whole length of said front wall, a series of transmittlng levers consisting of one for each key connecting said indicators with the keys and'causing an indicator to move down-' wardly in front of said opening when the corresponding key is depressed, the arrange ment being such that a constant comparison between the simultaneous position of the various keys is enabled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I signed hereunto my name.

EUGENE LOUIS ROTH. 

